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The 2025 Seoul Hunters Festival at Seoul Plaza. / Source: Seoul Tourism Organization

K-pop fans from the United States, Russia, Türkiye, Indonesia and beyond gathered in Seoul to showcase their dance and vocal skills, bringing global energy to the 2025 Seoul Hunters Festival.

The event, held on September 14 at Seoul Plaza, celebrated the city that serves as the backdrop for the hit film K-pop Demon Hunters. Hosted by the Seoul Tourism Organization, the festival drew a massive local turnout, with international fans joining both on-site and online.

Pre-selected contestants delivered performances that went far beyond amateur level, dancing and singing to tracks like EXO’s Love Me Right, Saja Boys’ Soda Pop, and Huntrix’s chart-topping Golden. A young act nicknamed “Elementary Huntrix” captivated the crowd with a heartfelt rendition of Golden. Fans from across Asia, the Americas and Europe joined, with television personality Greg tuning in virtually. The “Random Play Dance” segment, where contestants had to instantly perform choreography to surprise K-pop hits, turned into a fierce but joyful showdown.

Participation was at the heart of the festival. Choreographer Ha Sung-jin led a live dance class for Soda Pop, prompting thousands of spectators to rise and follow the moves. The sight of fans, both local and international, declaring “I can do it!” as they mimicked the steps drew laughter and applause. Later, the entire plaza joined in singing Golden, creating a moment of shared emotion across cultures.

The K-Tigers, a renowned taekwondo performance team involved in K-pop Demon Hunters, also took the stage. Blending martial arts with K-pop rhythms, they delivered a dynamic showcase that reflected their reputation for innovative cross-genre performances in more than 100 countries.

“Through the Seoul Hunters Festival, we were able to revisit the music and dance from the film and bring that story to life in Seoul itself,” said Gil Ki-yeon, president of the Seoul Tourism Organization. “Seoul is a global cultural city where history, tradition, cutting-edge technology, innovation and the passion of K-pop come together.” He added that the organization would continue to develop programs that allow foreign visitors to experience the vibrancy of K-culture firsthand and strengthen Seoul’s standing as a world tourism hub.